We had an Interesting day yesterday as we attended an auxiliary session of the combined National Baptist and Progressive National Baptist Conventions & CBF Billed as the ANGELA PROJECT !7, Commemorating the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first African Slave on this continent. The stated purpose was "to advance public Policy toward Preventing Blacks from becoming America's permanent underclass".

I believe they are off to a great start.

Suzii Paynter and several members of the CBF Executive Council where present and Suzii had prominent role in the program. Judge Wendell Griffen was one of the featured speakers as was Rev George Mason.

This Meeting was convened by Dr. Kevin Cosby President of Simmons College of Kentucky and Pastor of St. Stephens Baptist Church, both in Louisville.

Haruo wrote:When you say "combined National Baptist" conventions, do you mean not only the Progressives but both the Incorporated and the Unincorporated? How about the Missionary National Baptists?

Ed: The three Baptist national entities sponsoring this event where Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, National Baptist Convention of America International, Inc. and Progressive National Baptist Convention.

Presbyterian Church (USA) was the one other nationwide religious sponsors.

Educational Sponsors included Bellarmine University : A catholic institution where Trudy did a semester of her Supervised Ministry Experience as a part of her M.Div requirements at SBTS.

The major Financial sponsor was The Federal Reserve bank of St. Louis which has a branch in Louisville.

Campbellsville University, Jefferson County Public Schools, also the Jefferson County Teachers Association, Spalding University School of Social Work

Empower West: a grass roots program to assist development of the west side of Louisville. It came about through the efforts of a group of Louisville Pastors, Black and White who met every Monday for a year at St. Stevens Baptist Church to 1. Get to know one another, 2. to discuss racial problems in the city 3, to seek solutions to the problem which included halting the deterioration of the West End. 4. the establishment of a multiplicity of neighborhood self help programs.

Western Junior High School is in this area. When I worked there as a hall monitor during my first stint at Southern 1963-64, the student population was around 85% black.

Commemorate: to mark by some ceremony or observation. Celebrate: to mark (as an anniversary) by festivities or other deviation from routine (Merriam-Webster, 11th edition). Either way you cut it, the whole nine yards has to do with the oppression Baptists, particularly, allegedly keep applying to the black community. Rubbish!

Jim wrote:JEP: And Jim there is a difference in Commemorating and celebrating.

Commemorate: to mark by some ceremony or observation. Celebrate: to mark (as an anniversary) by festivities or other deviation from routine (Merriam-Webster, 11th edition). Either way you cut it, the whole nine yards has to do with the oppression Baptists, particularly, allegedly keep applying to the black community. Rubbish!

Ed: And Jim where do you get the idea that "Either way you cut it, the whole nine yards has to do with the oppression Baptists, particularly, allegedly keep applying to the black community." The whole nine yards of what ?

Keep in mind the convenor of the event here in Louisville on Monday, The Rev. Dr. Kevin Cosby Is a pastor of a Baptist Church, who received his M.Div. from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville . He is that also President of Simmons College an institution that for many years had beneficial working relationship with SBTS, with a number of SBTS students doing some or all of their required Supervised Ministry Experience there. Now it is true that examples of how the 'White Church" in general has worked over time to "Keep Blacks in their place". There were stats offered to show the still existing disparity in salaries for White and Black employees in many locals and occupations.

On the other hand President Obama seemed to have few if any admires among the Black speakers. I am not sure if any of the White speakers even mentioned him

I do wish you had been there .

I would recommend you find Dr. Cosby's book, GET OFF YOUR BUT!. Be sure to get the Revised 2014 Edition. I have not seen the 2000 original. The book is addressed primarily to Blacks, however Americans of any color could benefit by reading it, as most all of us have at least some of the same misunderstandings and bad habits.